comment|58078|294488

'When I've tried to describe certain behaviors as racist to my Chinese friends (in Mandarin), they simply don't see it that way.' You nailed the issue with this --- they see nothing wrong. Not restricted to racism either, from shitting in public to yelling on their mobile to manufacturing & exporting gutter oil, they "don't see it that way". So, which way? THEIR way.....which is? Just ask them, would you like foreign tourists shitting all over china, defacing your 'Great Wall', exporting radiated food into your country? They are brainwashed by CCP/communism, built upon warmongering mentalities (guerilla warfare which was how they fought, also meant nothing was too low --- STILL applies). On top of that, the complete lack of spirituality (normally the domain/responsibility of major religions), plus material/financial poverty had turned them into ruthless, cunning "I don't give a shit if I act, steal, lie, cheat, rob, bribe, sleep with my enemies" as long as the excuses I cook up successfully justify the things I do, get what I want (face, money, maiming my enemies), and let me get away with it all. I am strong/smart, you are weak/foolish, the ones left standing take all and write history books anyway they like, our 5000+ years history said so.

comment|58522|294488

comment|58075|112799

Totally true. I have been teaching In China for the past 6 years. I Have a bachelor degree and a Tefl. I never made as much money here as I use to back in my country .i came after divorce for a woman. There is a truth to it that many foreign men come for women I tried marrying a Chinese woman but the culture didn't settle well with me . So I tried many Chinese girl friends and now I found one that I am taking home with me so she can have a better life and I can feel that I have helped many Chinese and brought one of them to have a better life.In my opinion we serve some rich corrupted school owners, or at best few corrupted university officials that try to make money on students by creating exchange programs between Chinese universities and foreign universities. As per racism and the white skin to sale to the parents that a white man has better qualification to teach English .is so freaking true and sickening I had met many black teachers from USA who had some difficulties in China. This is my last year in China. If I could make a stop to this flow of foreigners coming to china . I would. Any foreigner coming to China to make as we call an easy buck. Is not true. There are agents making money on innocent young foreigners. And they seduce them so they can come and make big $$$$$ on their back for the Chinese owner. There is no easy buck to make here .these Chinese rich men have destroyed balance in the world economics . We should as foreigners get out of this country let Chinese teach their own kids English or whatever they feel like. Also bring this situation to our countries governments to be tougher on Chinese students going abroad . But mea culpa our universities are also part of this giant scam of enrolling Chinese students with an English level so low just to make money and stay open . It makes me sick to see that education has become a $$$$ focused shit and it is all because of Chinese rising and their money. So please as a foreigner do not work for this corrupted people . Have the courage to love your country and stay home. Work in your country . At least you have a pensions and unemployment insurance and many work laws that protects you.Let Russians Phillipinos or Africans teach English to Chinese .at least they need the money. For the salary they offer here, how dare can a Chinese offer 10000rmb to a young graduate from the USA or Canada and think he is paying him a high salary. How dare we accept this shit. Don't tell me lack of work in our countries . Work in McDonald and you can earn the same. Have some respect for your own nationality and do not allow these Chinese corrupted owners of schools make money on you. Let them deal with their shit . And our countries should allow only Chinese students that have worked hard and speak perfect English to come and study in our universities .Chinese now are laughing at us. All companies are outsourcing here in China . Giving them jobs and in the process they want to learn more English so they can go abroad . Why oh why our greed our corporate shit has done this. I will tell any Chinese to be grateful that outsourcing exist and that it is thanks to our corporations that today he has a job and an apartment and a family . Otherwise back to hunger. So as you see please do like me . Go back home . Fight the right to have a job home and not let companies open businesses in china and have corrupted Chinese man get you to become a clown . Since when a Chinese makes others look like a clown . We have seen quit a lot in history , but not this one. Good luck to you all

comment|58200|304546

comment|58092|312223

I agree with much being said here. But, I can only speak for myself and my personal experiences. As a teacher, I find it very rewarding, yet very frustrating at the same time. The negative impressions the article and the comments make about teachers, usually come from other expats (in my experience). I have been treated fairly and without malice from Chinese people. Expats...well...that is a whole different story. I have far fewer expat friends due to their total negativity and character. It seems that many enjoy bringing misery and despair unto themselves and others. I take my profession very seriously. I work hard as a teacher. I am dedicated to my students and my fellow teachers. I definitely make more as a teacher here, than I could in the USA when one begins to talk "net salary" and cost of living. And, I do not have to deal with all the BS that comes from working in a company in the USA. I am relatively free to do and work as I please here. No one is looking over my shoulder and telling how to do my job. With some training from myself, my Chinese employers have learned that if they want respect and understanding from me on Chinese business practices and other matters, they must show me the same courtesy in understanding my viewpoints and culture. It has been a hard battle between both of us. But, we are now able to work together with understanding and confidence in each other. Yes. There are many things I do not like about China. And, I find it appropriate to discuss those things under the correct situations. But, overall, I am very upbeat and positive about my experiences here. As a result, I have fewer horror stories than most about my time here in China. I like being a teacher. I like the experiences that I have had here. And, I love the Chinese people (good and bad). I came to China for work and money. I stay because of the people and the experiences.

comment|58103|17779

All I'm gonna say don't let websites tell you what you are or what they think you are! Live your life, work, go home, love your family, be responsible and make good choices, that goes for anyone that has a job, even English teachers, because its still just that, a job.

comment|58106|7542

I don't mind sharing my personal story and take on the industry - I feel I can represent perhaps Mr. older-than-average expat teacher. Before coming to China, I had (among others) a very decent job as a office manager and martial arts instructor; I went back in college as a non-traditional (older/working) returning student. Others witnessed for the years while I'd faithfully worked, I would often also play all sorts of international music at my work stations as dreamed of travelling abroad again, since my military days. I had previously divorced and settled into mundane life... Once back in academia, I suddenly found we had a cultural history class trip to visit Tibet, and I embarked on it. I didn't think about what others thought of me - I've done a lot in my life, and have a world of experience. Since coming to China, I rarely worked with nor arbitrarily befriended other foreigners just because they were foreigners, since I deemed that's not why I went overseas. When I do meet others, I may be curious, but do not judge who also is here; I am only interested in those who seemed to be nice people and interested in me as a person, regardless of background or nationality. In these many years, I've met ALL KINDS across the spectrum. And, as I tell my students, "In life, there is no single kind of anything!" Yes, I've been here maybe a little too long! – now worried about survivability in possible return to the States; and, here, as well as in my past, I’ve seen and experienced all sorts of ups and downs; but, in the long run, I really teach and do a pretty good job. I can see the results I get, and the favor and respect of many I’ve dealt with. Yet, I can't say I am proud to be in this field either. I don’t glamorize it, nor look down on it. I just do it for a living while initially gaining exposure to contemporary life and research as part of my global studies major – One day I’ll have to write a book.
I had personal reasons for leaving my home country – mostly just tired of the rat race. I don’t work for schools requiring all day (40 hour weeks) – I figure I could have just stayed back in my home country for that. I like doing less than 20 hours, and having my own freedom after that, and for me it’s been that way for several years. I refuse to commit to full time management or bigger roles or other that would preclude having a personal life. We cannot know of everyone's own story. And we shouldn't judge. Perhaps I could be called a “loser” for having a previous life with lots of experiences, ending up with a sports injury that slowed me down, tiring of a robotic life-style to make ends meet, and chose to explore life here. Besides, I envied my former college professors’ work schedules, and fancied a teaching job like theirs – such as, conducting a morning class, then an afternoon or evening class, preparation on my own time, housing, pay and benefits. It simply was a new life for me – mid-life crisis, if you will. Restarting in voluntary simplicity, or so I thought. Now, I’ve finding I’m becoming too old for some of the openings posted. Let’s face it. That will be the case wherever I go from here. Even in China, when people learn about others it may in fact help open up hearts and doors!

comment|58112|294488

Sounds like your military background helped you dealt with the shits in China. 'Even in China, when people learn about others it may in fact help open up hearts and doors!' This is true elsewhere, not with the majority of communists/mainlanders though. With understanding they baited thousands of multinationals into China, the bait being 'we got 1 billion prospects' (truth: 1 billion 'prospects' who have no decent toilet paper to use, waiting to steal your technology, benefit from it, suck you dry then kick you out). The bait was filled with poison. Now, the understanding they seek is the kind that enables them to find immigration loopholes to break into your country so they can stash and spend their loot, not to mention laying eggs. En masse their understanding don't open hearts (how can you open something you don't have?), they open doors, sure, the ones to your bank and country of origin. So when mainlanders say to you, "I want to understand you, my friend", scream hell and run!!! I'll end this comment with "It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." Jiddu Krishnamurti (thanks to the commenter who put this out). Bon voyage wherever life takes you.

comment|58125|294488

Thanks. Yep, spot on, mainland girl using typical you-misunderstood-china arguement to fool 'dumb laowais'. 30 years ago that might work. In front of guys like you and the shitbombs detonating themselves globally, not so easy. 'Could it be that in China, if you put free stuff in public, it will all disappear instantly?' LOL You can call this THE Expat's MacDonald (China) Quiz. If there ever is a China Expats Exam this HAS to be one of the questions, which you along with many in this forum are obviously well qualified to set. Talking about books/movies, have you ever thought about which character(s) best fit mainland chinese en masse? Hannibal Lecter is my pick. Look at the title of Thomas Harris's novel, Red Dragon, then the date of publication, 1981, 'coincidentally' that's about the time china 'opened up', 30+ years ago. Where was Hannibal from? Lithuania. We all know what political system Lithuania had. Then the second novel, Hannibal Rising came out in 1989. To be honest, the sychronicity is a bit hair-raising. Red Dragon, Hannibal Lecter the Lithuanian, pure, cannibalistic sociopath, China. See the theme/archetype? The subconscious mind can be uncanny accurate. Failed at home try China? Sure, failed to find sufficient Hannibals at home to study try China. LOL

comment|58240|281005

comment|58111|1573882

I worked in China for about three years and I had a similar experience. I felt useless working as a teacher and most students, parents, and co-workers looked down on me in one way or another. I do think you are missing a larger piece of the puzzle, Chinese culture really looks down on outsiders, whether you are a waiguoren (外国人）or waidiren（外地人), it doesn't matter. If you talk to some of the Chinese people who aren't local they have just as much as a problem as you do in regards to respect and work.
There are also great reasons to stay and make a life there if you can swallow your pride. Think about it, if you find the right job you can make as much as 15,000-20,000 RMB in a medium sized city. This kind of money in the local economy makes you a king and the amount of hours you're working is a joke. Believe me I returned home and I am now working for 30$ an hour with Chinese tourists and students and I can barely afford to live here and sometimes I wonder why the hell I came back. Also, if you're someone like me who really has deep seeded hatred for the 40 hour work week and corporate slavery it's even more difficult to readjust here.

comment|58324|103497

comment|58123|298985

In my experience this starts with expats who are themselves afraid of being 'losers back home' and in particular ones with more advanced degrees and goals that haven't paid off. They, for petty reasons that are the reason they're failing in the first place, need to cut down, insult, scoff and the usual 'fake teacher' lines. This get's far too many copycats who pretend to be 'real teachers' sick of 'fake teachers' (even though they themselves are no more qualified) and all of them love sneering this to Chinese employers who couldn't be more delighted to run with it. The other thing here - lots of people start off like me leaving better jobs back home for combos of adventure, renewal, love of teaching and whats the consequence of that - in fact, I go back home and find myself getting passed over for even menial jobs paying LESS than I'd make in China! So can I call this a 'self-fulfilling prophecy' after all? It will become true that you may not be able to return home to anything but 'loser jobs' or whatever we are calling our working poor these days. This might sound crazy to a few people but believe it or not I STILL enjoy winning big the handful of kids who I inspired and won over. It's still not mitigated by the monster kids who'd happily throw a bottle at my head and laugh. Then again, that kid gets to that point from the "Im a real teacher" douchebags and the disrespectful directors who pass that to the scornful teaching assistants and so on. But I get a handful of 'wins' and yes that makes it worthwhile. So far. That might change. *****..and I really don't know who thinks its easy to handle 10 year olds all morning, hustle across a campus to do 3 hours with Uni students.. eat.. get back to kids again.. get home and prepare for IELTS exams with adults the next morning. Is that really so easy? Compared to what? Any teaching job in my hometown's public school or college? Anyways, sure, 62 screaming 13 year olds. Easy. anyone can do it.

comment|58124|290790

What type of jackass feels the need to write an article like this? I find many of the people who changed from ESL into a non teaching(if indeed they actually did) make surprisingly inflammatory statements about their former occupation and the people who still teach? It's a crude form of showing face just like the peasants.

comment|58248|248813

comment|58286|1582837

People who work hard for a degree, leave their country of origin to try and make it in China, losers? Seems bizarre to me.
Even if they don't have a degree, leaving your country of origin to join a foreign land is a big risk, takes guts. I wouldn't consider someone like that a loser, ever.
It can be an easy job, but if you're putting a lot of effort into it and trying to do the best you can, it's not easy.

comment|58354|55020

Since the OP made it so clear that he is not a teacher any longer, and this fact had absolutely nothing to do with the post, then doesnt the OP share some of the same biases? Poop article. Didnt say anything new, didnt offer any insight. But good job, you did give alot of people an opportunity to claim they either dont care or share that they are not teachers. So you made alot of people feel good about themselves. That alone is reward enough.

comment|58368|278125

I think it's very easy to see this story in a one-sided way, oh, ESL in China is such an easy job, such losers, why don't they get a "real" job at home, etc. However, it takes an extremely thick skin to do this for more than about a year!!!

comment|58384|1583170

I think there are better and smart, able people around the world and its matter of selecting through talents, it does not make you better simply because where you come from or what is your appearance or nationality.....

comment|58443|97906

I just don't see the purpose of this article other than to stir up a firestorm. When teaching in China, I take pride in my work and try to do the best job I can. I have no control over teachers who do otherwise, only how I conduct myself. The bottom line is that unless we internalize prejudices others have against us, what do they matter? During my last stint in Shanghai, I had a generally low-stress job with good earning potential, nice apartment, ate well, and enjoyed my life. So if someone decides I'm a LBH, it's not something I'm going to lose sleep over. Instead I just deal with more worthy people.

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